Gardenia plant named ‘PARWHI’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Gardenia cultivar named ‘PARWHI’ is disclosed, characterized by distinctive compact, semi-erect plant habit. Flowers produced by the new variety have numerous petals, forming a semi-double flower. The new cultivar is a Gardenia, suitable for ornamental garden purposes.

Latin name of the genus and species: Gardenia augusta.

Variety denomination: ‘PARWHI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program by theinventor. The crossing was made in December 2012, at a nursery inKulnura, Australia. The seed parent is the commercial variety Gardenia‘Buttons’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,229. The pollen parent is an unnamed,unpatented Gardenia radicans. The inventor discovered this new varietyat the same nursery in March 2016.

After identifying the new variety as a potentially interestingselection, the inventor first organized propagation of ‘PARWHI’ bysemi-hardwood vegetative cuttings during 2016 at the same commercialnursery in Kulnura, Australia. The inventor continued confidential,controlled testing and propagation, assessing stability of the uniquecharacteristics of this variety. Multiple generations have beenreproduced and have shown that the unique features of this cultivar arestable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘PARWHI’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘PARWHI’ These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘PARWHI’ as a new and distinct Gardenia cultivar:

-   1. Compact semi-erect habit.-   2. Semi-double flower with many petals.

COMPARISON TO PARENT VARIETY

‘PARWHI’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to the seedparent variety Gardenia ‘Buttons’. Plants of the new cultivar ‘PARWHI’however, differ in the following:

-   1. The new variety's habit is semi erect-spreading; parent's is    erect.-   2. The new variety has more petals than the parent variety.-   3. Plant width of the new variety is broader than plant width of the    seed parent.

‘PARWHI’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to the pollenparent variety. Plants of the new cultivar ‘PARWHI’ however, differ inthe following:

-   1. New variety has a medium leaf length; parent's is very short.-   2. New variety has a medium leaf width; parent's is very narrow.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘PARWHI’ can be compared to the commercial variety Gardenia hybrida‘Ocean Pearl’, unpatented. Plants of the new cultivar ‘PARWHI’ aresimilar to plants of ‘Ocean Pearl’ in most horticulturalcharacteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘PARWHI’ differ inthe following:

-   1. New cultivar's flower diameter is medium; ‘Ocean Pearl’ has a    small flower diameter.-   2. New cultivar's plant width is medium; comparator is narrow.

‘PARWHI’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to thecommercial variety Gardenia ‘LEEFOUR’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,600.Plants of the new cultivar ‘PARWHI’ however, differ in the following:

-   1. Flowers of the new variety are on average wider, having an    average diameter of 6 to 9 cm, compared to the 5.5 to 7 cm diameter    average of this comparator.-   2. Petals of this comparator have a distinctive yellow flush not    found on the completely white petals of the new variety.-   3. Plants of the new variety have a broader, less erect form than    plants of this comparator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a plantof ‘PARWHI’ grown outdoors in Kulnura, Australia.

FIG. 2 shows a close up of a typical flower of the new variety. Theplant is approximately 2 years old, and is shown in a 220 mm container.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and althoughcolors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectanceit is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘PARWHI’ plants grown outdoors in the Summer,in Kulnura, Australia. Plants are approximately 30 months old, in 300 mmpots. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typicalplant types.

-   Botanical classification: Gardenia augusta ‘PARWHI’.

PROPAGATION

-   Typically by semi-hardwood cuttings in Spring and Summer.-   Time to rooting: 30-50 days at approximately 22° C.-   Time to produce a rooted plantlet: 100 days.-   Root description: Fleshy, new roots colored RHS White 155D.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Compact semi-erect evergreen shrub.-   Height: 1 meter.-   Plant spread: 1 meter.-   Branching characteristics: Well branched.-   Primary branches:    -   -   Length.—20-30 cm.        -   Diameter.—5-6 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Color.—Dark brown. Near RHS Brown 200A.        -   Texture.—Rough.-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Color.—Near RHS 144A.        -   Length.—Average range 7-12 cm.        -   Diameter.—Approximately 3-4 mm.        -   Aspect.—Semi-erect.        -   Texture.—Medium.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Internode.—Average range 30-40 mm.-   Age of plant described: 800 days from a rooted cutting.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Whorled.        -   Average length.—8-9 cm.        -   Average width.—38 mm.        -   Shape of blade.—Elliptic, slightly obovate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Leaf internode.—Average range 2-3 cm.        -   Texture of top surface.—Rippled.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Rippled.        -   Appearance of top surface.—Medium glossy.        -   Appearance of bottom surface.—Dull.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS 146A. Young            foliage under side: Near RHS 146C. Mature foliage upper            side: Near RHS 137A. Mature foliage under side: Near RHS            137D.        -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side: Near RHS            137A, midrib lighter. Venation color under side: Near RHS            150D, midrib lighter.-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—1 to 3 mm.        -   Diameter.—2 mm.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—RHS Green 143C.

FLOWER

-   Bloom period: Spring-Summer.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—Average 10-15 mm.        -   Diameter.—Average 3-4 mm.        -   Color.—Near RHS 144B.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Aspect.—Outward facing to upright.        -   Strength.—Strong.-   Flowers:-   Arrangement: Semi-double flowers arise from upper leaf axils.    -   -   Height.—Average 40-50 mm.        -   Diameter.—Average 60-90 mm.        -   Facing direction.—Outward facing to upright.        -   Lastingness of individual flowers on plant.—About 5 days.        -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Mostly self-cleaning.        -   Fragrance.—Strong.-   Tube:    -   -   Tube length.—Approximately 15 mm.        -   Tube width a widest point.—Approximately 10 mm.        -   Tube width and narrowest point.—Approximately 4-5 mm.-   Petals:    -   -   Unfused petal segments.—Length: Approximately 30-45 mm.            Width: Approximately 30-35 mm. Apex: Acute-rounded. Base:            Fused at base into tube. Shape of petal: Obovate. Petal            margin: Entire, with an occasional notch, frequently            incurved or recurved.        -   Petal arrangement.—Rotate, overlapping.        -   Petal number.—About 16.        -   Petal texture, upper and lower.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Upper surface at first opening: Near RHS NN155C.            Under surface at first opening: Near RHS NN155C. Inner            surface at maturity: Near RHS 155C. Outer surface at            maturity: Near RHS 155C. Upper surface at fading: Near RHS            155B. Under surface at fading: Near RHS 155B. Corolla Tube,            Inner and Outer: RHS White N155C.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Elliptic-lanceolate.        -   Length.—5-6 cm.        -   Diameter.—1.5 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS N144C.-   Calyx/sepals:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—6-10.        -   Arrangement.—Whorled.        -   Shape.—Linear-lanceolate.        -   Length.—Average 25-30 mm.        -   Width.—Average 3-5 mm.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Broader than apex, fused to receptacle.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Inner Surface: Near RHS 144B. Outer Surface: Near RHS            144B.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—Average 6, often petaloid.        -   Length.—Approximately 10 mm.        -   Width.—Approximately 1 mm.        -   Anthers.—Length: Approximately 10 mm. Width: Approximately            1 mm. Color: Near RHS 153B. Pollen Quantity and Color:            Scant. Yellow-green near RHS 153B. Shape: Linear.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—1.        -   Length.—Approximately 10-20 mm.        -   Style.—Length: Approximately 10 mm. Color: Near RHS 158D.            Stigma Shape and Color: Oval-orbicular, near RHS 155A. Ovary            Shape, Size, Color: Approximately 10 mm in length, 5 mm in            diameter, color near RHS 144C.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease and pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility    to the normal diseases and pests of Gardenia observed. Typical    diseases of Gardenia include Erysiphe polygoni, and Phomopsis    gardenia. Pests include the nematode Meloidogyne spp., white fly    Dialeurodes citri and various scales, including Ceroplastes    japonicas, Icerya purchase, Fiorinia theae, Hemiberlesia rapax and    Aspidiotus nerii.-   Temperature tolerance: 30° C. to 20° C. during the day. 15° C. to    20° C. during the night. No tolerance to drought.-   Fruit/seed production: Not observed to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Gardenia plantnamed ‘PARWHI’ as herein illustrated and described.